Green Card
by Scealai
Summary: ***COMPLETE*** This story deals with the plot cliche 'Cordy's getting married to someone else. Can Angel stop her?' that was part of a challenge made at the ACangst list at yahoogroups.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Green Card (Answer to A Cliche Challenge That Doesn't Suck)  
Author: T. C.  
Rating: R  
Pairings: Cordelia/Angel; Cordelia/Lorne  
Summary: Angel needs to stop Lorne from making the biggest mistake of  
his life. This story deals with the plot cliche   
'Cordy's getting married to someone else. Can Angel stop her?'  
that was part of a challenge made at the ACangst list at   
yahoogroups.  
Spoilers: This story takes place after 'Birthday' but before 'Sleep  
Tight.' Everything that happened before 'Sleep Tight' is   
fair game for back story including events that happened when  
Angel and Cordelia were residents of Sunnydale.  
Disclaimer: The characters from 'Angel' belong to Joss Whedon (aptly  
handled by David Greenwalt), 20th Century Fox, and the WB.  
Author's Note: I hope that this is sufficiently angsty, I couldn't   
help but exploit the inherent satyric qualities of this  
cliche.  
***********************************************************************  
The Morvish demon had a beautiful voice. Her long, elegant neck   
reached up as her last note trembled in the air. The iridescent  
scales that covered her head, neck, and chest glittered in the filtered  
light. Lorne closed his eyes, took a sip of his Seabreeze, and savored  
the sharp citrous flavor and luscious sounds as they haunted the room.  
Housecalls to a Morvish demon he did not mind at all. They had style,  
a voice Celine Dion would die for, and chose lairs with incredible  
acoustics. A cold drop of water ran down the back of Lorne's neck and  
he shivered. Their lairs were a bit drippy, but still stylish. He  
opened his eyes.   
  
The cavern's walls were stained blue and green with various families of  
lichen and alga and the deep pools in the back of the cave glowed with   
eerie soft lights from under the water. The Morvish swam around in a  
pool closer to Lorne, a shaft of sunlight spotlighting it. She   
extended her neck in question. "You will help me, reader?" her melodic  
voice trilled.  
  
"Don't get your fins in a flap, Princess Ariel." The Little Mermaid  
reference wasn't far off since it was the Morvish that inspired   
sailors' tales of mermaids and sirens. Their lower body, mouth, and  
eyes were a lot like a bottle nose dolphin's - sleek blue/grey tail and  
body and a beaky mouth lined with small sharp teeth. Her eyes were an  
inky black vortex that beckoned enticingly until she blinked with   
transparent lids. Unlike the legend, the Morvish's upper body was   
hardly that of a human female, instead it was more reminiscent of a   
swan. A small head sat on top of a graceful, long neck, both decorated  
with scales that shone red, green, and gold rather than feathers.   
Gossamer wings that sparkled sliver and blue took the place of arms and  
completed the picture. Morvish were stunning creatures, but they were  
also temperamental divas.  
  
Lorne winked at his impatient client. "Give me a moment to compose my  
impressions, especially after such an exquisite performance." The  
Morvish cooed and splashed delightedly at the flattery. Lorne took  
another drink and closed his eyes again. It was a simple question  
really - if she revealed herself to the human sailor she loved would he  
join her in the sea to live happily ever after together - and he could  
read her emotions easy enough, but the outcome was murky. But he  
couldn't put off the heartsick demoness with pretty words for much  
longer. Lorne opened his eyes and finished his drink. "Love is a   
risky business, especially when it involves humans giving up their  
humanity. I sensed some uncertainty about him so I suggest that you  
refrain from revealing yourself in all your demon glory and just  
continue crooning lullabies to him from the deep blue sea until you  
are certain or you can try to hook up with someone from your own   
species."  
  
"Ooo," the Morvish pouted. Her clear lids fluttered. She fixed her  
black gaze on Lorne. "Maybe I should give up on humans. Do you like  
to swim, reader? I could sing for you everyday. Sometimes twice a  
day."  
  
"Twice a day, you say?" Lorne felt himself drawn into the depths of  
her eyes. A little dip in the ocean wouldn't hurt. He stepped toward  
the demon, but a fortuitous drop of water splashed down onto his nose.  
Lorne shook his head and hastily backed out of the cave. "As tempting  
as the offer is, my melodic chippie, I must decline. I'm not much of  
an aqua-nut. Just the mention of a 'Jaws' movie and I get seasick.  
But let me know how the love hunt goes, songbird." Lorne rushed out of  
the cave and into the bright light of day. He put on his red fedora  
to cover his horns, hiked up the collar of his lemon yellow jacket and  
headed to where he had parked Angel's convertible.  
  
The ambiguous nature of the Morvish's reading was worrying Lorne. They  
were a relatively easy demon to read, not complicated at all. There  
was no reason for the outcome to be unclear, he had only indulged in   
the one Seabreeze if you didn't count the three he had with lunch.  
Besides, he could give a stellar reading three sheets to the wind and   
had on many occasions. The only explanation Lorne would get for   
this occurrence would be from the Powers and fortunately he knew where  
to find them. Unfortunately, he also had an idea of what they might  
tell him.  
  
*****  
  
"Who's the most perfect baby in the whole wide world? Even though he  
won't take a nap, who's the perfect baby?" Cordelia cooed. Connor  
gave an answering gurgle and a little squeal as Cordelia lifted him  
high in the air and then back down again. "Yes, it's you. Connor is  
the most perfect baby in the whole wide world. Yes, he is."  
  
Following the sound of Cordelia's crooning voice and his son's   
delighted baby noises, Angel made his way downstairs. He stopped short  
three quarters of the way down when sunlight blocked his path.   
Cordelia had opened all the curtains while he had been sleeping   
upstairs. Angel didn't really mind, he wasn't quite awake yet and it  
gave him an opportunity to watch his Seer with his son. He settled   
down into the shadows of the stairwell as Cordelia waltzed around the  
lobby with Connor swaying in her outstretched arms. Watching them   
together like that was almost a moment of perfect happiness. The only  
thing that prevented Angelus' re-emergence was the knowledge that he  
would never be able to join them. He would never dance with Cordelia  
and Connor in the sun. He would never take them to the beach on a hot  
summer day and help Connor build sandcastles and slather Cordelia's   
body with sunblock. If he had known that one day he would have a son  
and fall in love with a wonderful woman, he might not have destroyed   
the Gem of Amara. Of course, there were alternatives - dancing in the  
light of a full moon, a moonlight picnic on the beach with the waves  
crashing around them - but Angel could never ask Cordelia to commit to  
a life of alternatives to the sun. She had sacrificed enough for him.  
She had given up her humanity to help him find his.   
  
"Who's the broody vampire in the shadows?" Cordelia danced closer to  
him and tilted Connor in his direction. Angel vamped and Connor   
laughed. "Yes, it's Connor's Daddy. His big broody Daddy, but Connor  
isn't going to brood is he? No way, this cute little brow will never  
furrow." Cordelia brought Connor close to her and kissed said smooth  
brow. She turned around to look at Angel, who was back in human face  
and still frowning, over the baby's shoulder. She continued on in her  
soft, singsong voice. "I chose to become part demon, Angel. Yes, I  
did. It had nothing to do with you, Mr. The-World-Revolves-Around-Me.  
No, it didn't."  
  
"Who's the big liar? Yes, Auntie Cordelia is. Her fondest wish was to  
become a demon. No, it wasn't," Angel emulated Cordelia's tone, but he  
smiled to take the edge off. She was amazing. She wouldn't even let  
him feel guilty for what he had done to her life. She deserved to be  
dancing a child of her own with a loving husband looking on who could  
give her sunshine, flowers, and make all of her dreams come true. Even  
though the thought of Cordelia marrying another man punched his soul   
into confetti, Angel wanted it for her because it would make her happy.  
  
"Cordelia!" The front doors burst open and a disheveled Lorne stumbled  
in. The commotion lured Fred, Wesley, and Gunn out of Wesley's office  
where the guys had been subtly fawning over the shy physicists while   
she worked on the computer.   
  
Cordelia whipped around and immediately headed toward her friend.   
"Lorne? What happened? Did that demon you went to read for attack   
you?"  
  
"No, my dearest, but your concern touches me." Lorne stumbled further  
into the lobby. He met up with Cordelia in the middle of the room and  
he fell to his knees in front of her. "I can't deny it any longer, I  
love you, Brown Eyes." Lorne took Cordelia's free hand, the one that  
wasn't holding Connor close to her side, and clutched it to his chest.  
"Will you marry me, my lovely Pylean Princess?"  
  
"Lorne, are you okay?" Cordelia asked in the stunned silence that  
followed his question. She tried to withdraw her hand, but Lorne  
gripped it tighter.   
  
"Only overcome by my love for you. Please say yes."  
  
It was on the tip of Cordelia's tongue to refuse and offer a scathing  
review of his 'proposal,' but something in Lorne's eyes stopped her.   
His ruby reds weren't snapping with sassy sarcasm, they were alive with  
panic. The only other time she had seen that look on his face was   
when they had been back in Pylea and his head had been severed from his  
body and they had to reunite them before his body was mutilated. He  
was serious and in trouble. "Yes."  
  
An inarticulate growl escaped Angel as he jumped to his feet. He   
started forward, but immediately recoiled as the direct light singed  
his skin. He yelled in pain and fell back onto the stairs.  
  
"Angel!" Cordelia screamed. She tugged Lorne to his feet and handed  
Connor to him. "Lorne, take the baby. Angel, what were you thinking?  
Fred, get the First Aid kit, it's in my desk."  
  
The soft soothing touch of Cordelia's fingertips caressing his cheek  
was balm enough for Angel. He barely felt a thing even though he did  
wince when she carefully extended his arm and inspected the burnt   
flesh. It was a sweet delicious torture having Cordelia so close and  
touching him.   
  
"Here you go, Cordelia." Fred offered her the First Aid kit. She gave  
Angel a sympathetic smile and rushed back to Wesley and Gunn to watch  
the proceedings from a safe distance. Lorne didn't move, just cradled  
the baby nervously.   
  
"I can't believe you. Two hundred and fifty odd years old and you   
haven't learned that sunlight equals big flaming ouch," Cordelia   
muttered. She sent him a stern glare and then went back to work   
cleaning the burn with a cooling solution. It stung a bit, but Angel  
wasn't paying attention. He was too busy watching Cordelia. She   
chewed on her lower lip with her pearly white teeth as she smoothed an  
antibiotic cream on his forearm and wrapped it in a bandage. He didn't  
know why she bothered, it would heal fast enough without her medical  
assistance and infection wasn't a threat. A part of him hoped she did  
it because she liked pampering and taking care of him. That maybe,  
just maybe it was an excuse to touch him. Angel couldn't resist  
touching her any longer. He reached out and tucked a stray piece of  
hair behind her ear, stealing a caress of the soft skin of her jawline  
and neck as he did it.  
  
A fussy wail from his son broke the moment that Angel was pretty sure  
just wishful thinking on his part. Cordelia had never given him any  
indication that she felt more than just friendship for him. Angel   
looked away from her to Connor. Lorne. At the sight of the green  
skinned demon he thought was his friend his previous anger and the   
reason for it came back to him. "You," Angel snarled. His eyes  
narrowed.  
  
"You know what, I think the little nipper here is hungry. I'll just  
take him to the kitchen and get him some grub." It might not have been  
the best idea to propose to Cordelia, but Lorne needed a demon mate.  
He had thought Angel would still be asleep and that they could explain  
everything to him at once. It didn't sound so bad when everything was  
explained. Unfortunately, he hadn't seen the big lug lurking in the  
shadows, although he should have expected it.  
  
"Don't move." Angel's agitation had reached dangerous levels. He   
could feel it roaring beneath the surface. Lorne had proposed to  
Cordelia! And she had accepted! What Twilight Zone episode was this?  
"Fred, take Connor to the kitchen and get his bottle ready, please.  
Wesley and Gunn can help you."  
  
Usually when Angel would try to give them orders, Wesley or Gunn would  
remind him that he wasn't the boss anymore. This was not a time to  
argue. Fred went to get the baby from Lorne and Wesley and Gunn   
turned to leave when Cordelia's voice cut through the momentary silence.  
"Stop. Why don't you guys close the curtains instead? Then we'll all  
go to the kitchen and get Connor his dinner."  
  
"We have to talk," Angel protested. "About what Lorne asked and you  
accepted."  
  
"And we will. All of us," Cordelia assured him.  
  
"It's none of their business," Angel stubbornly insisted. His jaw was  
so set that it barely moved when he spoke. He didn't want the others  
present when Cordelia explained why she had said yes. He wanted her  
to explain to him not everyone.  
  
"Well, Angel, since it is MY life then it really isn't your business  
either," Cordelia challenged. She refused to back down even though she  
saw the pain that flashed through Angel's eyes. She wasn't going to  
apologize for her statement nor take back her acceptance of Lorne's  
proposal. Cordelia narrowed her eyes as well and stared right back at  
the irate vampire. Sometimes he made her so mad! So what if Lorne had  
proposed to her?: He obviously had a reason for it and besides, it was  
Lorne. It didn't hurt her ego to acknowledge that he didn't ask her to  
marry him because she was the love of his life. Angel could be such an  
overprotective goon.  
  
During Angel and Cordelia's battle of wills, the others considered   
their options. Lorne knew it would be best if he just stayed where he  
was and waited for everyone else to decide things for him. Fred,   
Wesley, and Gunn could do as Angel asked and retreat to the kitchen   
with Connor and let them hash things out with Lorne in the lobby or  
they could do as Cordelia asked and find out exactly what was going on.  
Angel was a vampire and he would get glowery if he didn't get his way,  
but Cordelia was Cordelia - who knew how her new part-demon status   
would affect her when she was pissed. Fred took Connor from Lorne   
while Wesley and Gunn closed the curtains. Angel's low rumbling growl  
accompanied their movements.  
  
"Stop with the epic growlfest." Cordelia slapped Angel lightly on the  
shoulder. "You'll scare Connor." She stood and walked to the kitchen.  
Everyone else took her lead and Angel had no choice but to follow.  
  
"Okay," Cordelia started once the bottle was prepared and Connor was  
contentedly sucking on it in Fred's arms. Cordelia loved to feed the  
infant, but figured she would let Fred this time just in case she had  
to step in between Angel and Lorne. She turned to Lorne with her  
arms crossed over her chest. "What's with the sudden urge to marry  
me?"  
  
"If you say it's because you love her, I'm going to shove your horns  
into your forehead." Angel smirked with satisfaction when Lorne backed  
away from Cordelia. She said that her life was none of his business.  
None of his business. She didn't really mean it, though, she was just  
mad at him. They had been through too much for her life to be none of  
his business. His life was her business. Everything from Connor to  
his Shanshu was her business. He didn't know what he would do if she  
really did mean it. He needed Cordelia's life to be his business.  
  
"Angel, Lorne can love me if he wants to. You don't love me though,  
do you?" Cordelia suddenly looked worried. She liked Lorne, but she  
wasn't attracted to him. Unrequited love in the workplace was a messy  
business.  
  
"No, Warrior Princess, I don't love you." Lorne was almost offended by  
the sighs of relief from both Cordelia and Angel. He understood the  
jealous vampire's reaction, but Cordelia's was uncalled for. He wasn't  
that bad of a catch. There were demons out there who would love to   
hook up with a natty crooner such as himself. "This will be a marriage  
of convenience and extreme necessity. My work VISA with the PTB has  
run out and I'm losing my ability to read auras in this dimension. If  
I don't forge a connection here and regain my abilities, they'll deport  
me back to Pylea."  
  
"But won't they know that you and Cordelia aren't in love." Fred   
frowned. "They are the Powers That Be. Don't they know everything?"  
  
"They like to think so, but they're not the INS, Freddikins. It's not  
about love, it's about a connection. On Pylea, my abilities were  
natural, but when I got here I needed assistance from the PTB for   
them to work properly. It's the connection to the dimension that's   
key, people. My connection was my business, Caritas, but that   
collapsed like so much rubble."  
  
"Why didn't you ask Fred to marry you? She's pretty." Angel sulked  
malevolently from his position leaning against the counter. He was  
pretty sure that Lorne was aware of his developing feelings for   
Cordelia. If the former Pylean was his friend, how could he do this  
to him? How could he put him through the agony of watching Cordelia,  
not with a another man, but another demon.  
  
"Hey," Wesley and Gunn protested Angel's suggestion. They both stepped  
closer to a blushing Fred and glared at Lorne.  
  
"I'm not denying the Yellow Rose of Texas' attractiveness, but I need  
a demon mate in order to forge the connection." Lorne's eyes widened   
when Cordelia's eyebrows rose and her foot started to tap the floor.  
"Not that it was the only quality I considered. You're the most  
gorgeous and generous part demon I know." Lorne tried the puppy dog  
eyes that worked so well for Angel on Cordelia.  
  
"Mate? What kind of connection are you planning on forging?" Angel  
straightened. He reached out and pulled Cordelia back so that she was  
standing at his side. He kept her hand encased in his. "There will be  
no connecting or forging and there will especially be no mating."  
  
"Relax, Angel." Lorne instinctively refrained from using a cute pet  
name. His vampire friend was in no mood for such frivolity. "It's  
purely a psychic connection."  
  
"And purely my decision." Cordelia glared at Angel. "So, if it's just  
the matter of linking up psychically, why do we have to get married?  
You've walked around in my head before. And why the big showy  
proposal?" She winced and struggled to release her hand from Angel's  
punishing grip. "Let go, Angel, you'll break my hand." He didn't let  
go, but the pressure subsided.  
  
"It's a loophole in Pylean law. If you agreed to mate with me freely  
without knowing about it just being a marriage of convenience than it's  
still valid without us consummating it. We have to become mates   
because that's the only way Pyleans can forge a psychic connection.   
You haven't changed your mind, have you? Because it won't be for long,  
I only had six months left until I got my permanent VISA when Caritas  
took its final trip to kingdom come." Lorne frowned. If Cordelia  
changed her mind, he could always go back to the Morvish. She seemed  
eager to connect with him. Thinking of the Morvish reminded Lorne of  
how she had paid her fee and he frantically searched his pockets.   
"And, hey, I forgot to give you this to make it official. That is if   
you still want to marry me." Lorne held out an engagement ring.  
  
"Of course I'll still marry you, Lorne." Cordelia smiled. Her eyes  
fell on the ring and they widened in surprise. She wrenched herself  
from Angel's grasp and crossed over to her other friend. "Oh, my  
God, it's gorgeous. Lorne, do you know how expensive this ring is?"  
  
"Well, it's a three and a half carat Marquise diamond solitaire ring  
set in eighteen carat white gold. It's cut is very good, it's the very  
rare D color, and it's internally flawless. I would say around  
seventy-five thousand." Lorne shrugged. He took Cordelia's left hand  
and slipped it on her ring finger. "The Morvish I just read for dug it  
out of a shipwrecked yacht. It was my fee. Thanks, Brown Eyes, you're  
really saving my cute butt."  
  
"No need to thank me. We're friends, Lorne, we help each other when  
we're in trouble and this ring is, wow." Cordelia held out her hand  
and admired the sparkler. "Look, it sparkles even in this crap  
lighting."  
  
Angel stepped forward and grabbed Lorne's hand. There was a tense   
moment of silence until he shook the other demon's hand.   
"Congratulations, Lorne." It was no use arguing with either of them  
right now. Lorne was desperate and hadn't had time to think of any  
other solutions and Cordelia was in her helping a friend mode and much  
too taken with the diamond engagement ring to listen to him. He took  
Connor from Fred to burp him and stood back while the others offered  
Cordelia and Lorne their congratulations. It was time for him to stand  
back and consider his options. There was a way to stop this marriage  
and Angel was going to find it.  
  
***** 


	2. Chapter 2

The plan was a good one. Angel was fairly certain it was a good one.  
It was simple anyway. He was going to remind Cordelia of their long   
and deep friendship. Then she would listen to him when he told her  
that marrying Lorne to forge a psychic connection so he could stay in   
this dimension was a bad idea. They wouldn't leave Lorne twisting in  
the wind though, they would think of something else to connect him to  
this dimension.  
  
"Hey, Cordy." Angel smiled at the sight of her sitting at her desk  
typing away on her computer. He casually fiddled with the baby   
monitor that he had hooked to his belt. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Looking up appraisers." Cordelia looked up with a brilliant grin.  
She waved her left hand under Angel's nose. "I've got to get this baby  
insured. It would be just my luck to lose it in a pile of demon slime.  
Do you think insurance would cover that?"  
  
"Yeah, we wouldn't want that to happen." Angel lost his smile. He   
would never be able to give Cordelia a ring like that - he could barely  
afford to pay his bills, start a college fund, buy diapers and formula,  
clothes that Connor would outgrow before they had faded from washing,  
not to mention renovate the hotel. It was an endless list. Angel knew  
that Cordelia wasn't as concerned with the material side of life as she  
once was, she had chosen substance over blue boxes long ago, but she   
still appreciated them. Angel would have loved to have been the one to  
give her that ring and so much more.  
  
"Good morning." Lorne's voice was much too cheerful for Angel's ears.  
"Or afternoon as the case may be. How's my premarital muffin?"  
  
"Great." Cordelia's smile brightened even more and she was no longer  
looking at Angel. She was looking at Lorne. "I should have known you  
were a financial magnet, what with your appreciation for quality   
apparel," she teased playfully.  
  
"What? When I was impersonating Jay Don and dressed like that you said  
that it looked like a parrot from the Coco Cabana threw up on me,"  
Angel protested.  
  
"That's because it did." Cordelia stood up. She looked him over  
speculatively. "I know I keep harping on your wardrobe, but I have to  
admit that dark colors work for you." She patted Angel's chest, but   
his delight over her gesture was short lived. She passed him to stand  
by Lorne. She fingered the lapels of his orange jacket. "But this   
works for Lorne. Brings out the green tones of his skin."  
  
"Thanks." Lorne chuckled nervously at the feel of Cordelia's fingers  
brushing his cheek. He didn't look at Angel. The vampire's face in   
his imagination was frightening enough, he didn't need to see the   
reality. He took Cordelia's hand from his face and placed it at her  
side. "Now, Brown Eyes, you now we don't have to put on a show. All   
we need is a psychic connection."  
  
"Right." Cordelia moved back to her desk. She frowned at Angel, he  
had gotten grumpy all of a sudden. "So, how do we connect   
psychically?"  
  
"Before you get into that, I need to talk to Lorne about something. In  
private." Angel grabbed the demon with the wonderful green-toned skin  
and hauled him into the kitchen.  
  
"Well, I hope he can find what kind of bug is up your ass," Cordelia  
yelled after them. "The temper tantrums are getting old."  
  
"It's a good thing my skills are on the fritz. I don't want to know  
exactly what you're feeling, do I?" Lorne put the large stainless  
steel counter between them as soon as Angel let go of his arm. The  
door to the alley was behind him, he might be able to escape into the  
sunshine if things got dicey.   
  
Angel folded his arms across his chest and stood in his hunched  
posture. "Why?" he asked in an unusually calm, but quietly urgent   
voice.  
  
"You know why, Angelcakes, I explained everything yesterday." Lorne  
held up his hands in supplication. The last thing he had ever wanted  
was to add more suffering to the brooding champ's already full plate.  
Especially during a time when the big guy actually had some happiness.  
"I have no nefarious romantic designs on the Cordster. I just need her  
help."  
  
"How does this connection work?" Angel wasn't completely mollified by  
Lorne's answer. He didn't really believe that Lorne was in love with  
Cordelia, that wasn't his problem. So what if this 'marriage' would be  
in ritual only, the connection wouldn't be. Angel didn't want anyone  
to be connected to Cordelia but him. She was his Seer, his connection  
to the Powers That Be, his friend. He didn't like to share. "How   
deep does it go?"  
  
"I'm not talking about a soulmate connection - the PTB won't require it  
and I wouldn't even consider it - it's just a simple psychic connection  
that can be disconnected as soon as my residency in this dimension is  
established."  
  
"What about re-opening Caritas?" Angel frowned. Lorne was protesting  
too much, too quick to assure him about his lack of feelings for   
Cordelia. Was he attracted to her? Was this a subconscious attempt to  
get close to her? Cordelia had grown into an irresistible human being,  
while he didn't believe that Lorne was in love with her, it wasn't out  
of the realm of possibility that it wouldn't happen. Particularly if  
he was exposed to her innermost thoughts, feelings, dreams...everything  
that made her Cordelia.  
  
"Believe me, Fangberry, I've tried. I've been scouting locations for  
ages now, putting out feelers, but the sad fact is that no demon wants  
to risk being blown up or shot at by a bunch of hyped up humans. I  
could open another club, but I wouldn't have any clientele." Lorne   
sighed. He didn't know what else to say to convince Angel that he was  
sincere. Cordy was a babe of the highest caliber, but she was also the  
object of Angel's affection. "Look, Angel, you and Cordelia have  
kye-rumption up the wazoo and I'm not about to interfere with that.  
You're my friend."  
  
A loud, crackly wail from the baby monitor holstered at Angel's hip  
effectively ended the conversation before Angel could respond to what  
Lorne had said. He left Lorne in the kitchen and took the backstairs  
up to his room. As he changed Connor's diaper, Angel started to feel  
better and more than a little silly. He felt the tide of jealousy that  
he had been drowning in since Lorne's proposal ebb. Even if Lorne had  
latent feelings for Cordelia, he wouldn't act on them because they were  
friends. Besides, Lorne was always hitting on him, so he might not  
even be attracted to demons or humans of the female persuasion. And if  
he was, there was always Cordelia's aversion to horns and tails.  
  
"It's a good thing vampires don't have horns or tails, hey little guy."  
Angel picked up his son and rocked him gently. Connor giggled, his  
blue eyes were bright and curious. He waved his hand until he had  
caught his father's nose. Angel laughed along with Connor as they  
descended the stairs. Everything was going to be okay. There was no  
way that Cordelia and Lorne would fall in love.  
  
"Hello, Angel." Wesley looked up from a text he was reading. "How is  
Connor?"  
  
"Fine." Angel looked around the lobby. Cordelia was no longer at her  
desk. "Where is everybody?"  
  
"Fred and Gunn went to get some dinner and I believe that Cordelia and  
Lorne are out in the courtyard. She wanted to speak with him about the  
nature of the connection and what type of marriage ceremony is   
required."  
  
"Oh." Angel bounced Connor in his arms as he casually made his way   
toward the window. He stood far enough away that the orange glow of  
the impending sunset didn't touch him, but he could still see outside.  
Cordelia and Lorne were sitting together on a bench - close together -  
and she was smiling at him. "Wesley, how much do you know about demon  
VISAs and Pylean psychic mating?"  
  
"I must confess I was a bit curious about the matter of dimensional  
VISAs - it's not actually called that but the concept is the same."  
Wesley warmed up to the subject, his eyes glinting with knowledge and  
excitement. "Fred and I spent most of the day researching the topic.  
It's how the Powers keep track of demons with telepathic and   
clairvoyant powers."  
  
"Lorne's been in L. A. for a while, why would the Powers make it an  
issue now and threaten to deport him back to Pylea?" Cordelia laughed  
at something the demon in question said and touched his arm.  
  
"I have no idea." Wesley joined Angel at the window. "Lorne would  
never hurt Cordelia, Angel, I'm sure that their psychic connection will  
be temporary."  
  
"I know, but Lorne isn't exactly good with the finer details. I think  
we should research this more thoroughly before Cordelia goes through  
with it. We don't want them stuck in something they can't undo."  
They were holding hands. Lorne was holding Cordelia's hand!  
  
"Yes, you're right. We do have those Pylean texts we brought back,  
perhaps Fred and I should do some more research tonight."  
  
"That's a good idea. Maybe you could find another way for Lorne to  
stay in this dimension too." Angel couldn't stop the soft growl from  
rumbling in his chest and he was glad when Wesley went back to his   
office with no more than a questioning glance. He looked down at   
Connor who was looking back up at him. He wished the kid would cry,  
because that would bring Cordelia back inside, but was immediately  
ashamed of the thought. He was not going to use his son to keep  
Cordelia at his side. "Of course, if you volunteer...." Connor only  
answered with a smile as he sucked contentedly on his fingers.  
  
*****  
  
"Okay, I'm not changing my mind or anything, I just have a few   
questions." Cordelia sat down on the bench much too close for Lorne's  
comfort given his earlier conversation with Angel.  
  
"Fire away, dollface." Lorne shifted further away, but it wasn't far  
enough. The bench was small. He looked up into Cordelia's bright   
smile. She did have a beautiful smile, it held nothing back. He   
hadn't noticed that before.  
  
"So, what kind of marriage ritual are we talking about here? Those  
gross priest guys would only talk about com-shukking - and we're not  
doing that."  
  
"It's the Bhion-Tuk ritual for psychic mating. Com-shukking isn't   
required in all Pylean mating rituals, which is a good thing because  
if it was, Angel's heart would start beating just so he could have a  
heart attack."  
  
Cordelia laughed. It was a glorious laugh, full and resplendent with  
joy. "I know, what is his problem lately?"  
  
"You really don't know, do you, Brown Eyes?" Lorne could feel the   
heavy-browed vamp's gaze on them. This wasn't good, he was noticing  
things about Cordelia that he shouldn't be noticing. Damn Angel for  
being so paranoid and making him so aware of the Seer's attractions.  
  
"I really like that nickname - Brown Eyes. In highschool they called  
me Queen C or Queen Bitch behind my back, but yours is my favorite."  
Cordelia reached out and touched Lorne's arm. Her smile softened.  
  
Lorne gulped. "Well, you know me, I'm good with the pet names." He   
could feel a cool flush of green infuse his cheeks and his horns were  
probably neon with the glowing. This hadn't happened to him since a  
feisty little Krevloch had seduced him his first week in L. A. It was  
a good thing Angel wasn't an empath, because if he was the vampire   
would rip his head off and make him wish his body was back on his  
mother's lice pile or even the maggot heap. He took Cordelia's hand.  
"In all seriousness, are you sure you want to do this, Cordelia?   
Because we can think of something else, something less vamp-enraging."  
  
A teasing light gleamed in Cordelia's eyes. "I think Angel's problem  
is that he's jealous."  
  
"You don't say?" This was no time for Cordelia to start getting a   
clue about Angel's feelings for her. If she could see how the vampire  
felt than she might get an inkling of the pesky feelings swimming   
around in his heart. He was not falling for her...he was grateful for  
her help. That was it, he was just grateful. "What exactly is he  
jealous of?"  
  
"Are you kidding? With the way you flirt, he's probably upset you   
didn't propose to him." Cordelia grinned and squeezed his hand.   
  
A sharp zing shot through Lorne's system. His heart started to pound -  
which is really uncomfortable when it's located in your ass and you're  
sitting down. "Hey, now, watch it with the premarital Bhion-Tuk. It's  
frowned upon where I come from." He untangled his hand from   
Cordelia's, breaking the physical contact, but the psychic thread she  
had established lingered.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, I don't exactly have a handle on my  
demony powers and I guess they wanted to reach out and touch you."  
Cordelia reached out to touch him once again, but a piercing squall  
stopped her. Her attention turned immediately to the heartfelt   
sobbing of the infant in the hotel and Lorne couldn't have been more  
relieved. That kid had incredible timing, it had gotten him out of  
two tricky situations and it wasn't even dusk yet.  
  
Angel was pacing the lobby, rocking a distraught Connor, when they  
entered the hotel. "Shh, it's okay. It's okay." His panicked   
expression diminished as he spotted Cordelia. "I don't know what's  
wrong, he just started crying. I changed him and he doesn't want the  
bottle."  
  
"Here, give him to me." Cordelia took the baby from Angel. "What's  
wrong, sweetie?" The crying stopped abruptly and Connor gooed up at  
her with an innocent smile.  
  
"I, uh, guess he just missed you." Angel grinned. That was his boy -  
looking out for Cordy.   
  
"Of course he did." Cordelia nuzzled the baby. "I missed you to, my  
sweet baby boy. Are you sure you're not hungry?"   
  
The possessive pronoun Cordelia's used didn't escape Angel, but before  
he couldn't get too pleased with it, he noticed Lorne's guilt-ridden   
face. Angel's eyes narrowed. "So, what were you two doing out  
there...all alone?"  
  
"Getting to know each other better - you know, bonding. I think I  
gave Lorne a scare though when I inadvertently Bhion-Tukked him."  
Cordelia laughed and Connor squealed along with her, but Angel didn't   
get the joke. He glared at Lorne, but didn't get a chance to pursue it  
because Fred and Gunn returned with food.  
  
"Angel," Wesley called from his office. "Do you know where Brinwauld's  
Psychic Theory is?"  
  
"I think it was in one of those boxes we stored in the basement."   
Angel frowned. Everyone was back so it would probably be okay to leave  
Cordelia and Lorne. They couldn't Bhion-Tuk - inadvertent or   
otherwise - in front of other people, at least he hoped they couldn't.  
"I'll go get it."  
  
"Wesley, we brought dinner," Fred called out to the ex-watcher as Angel  
went down to the basement. He could hear their muffled conversation  
and occasional laughter and he felt out of place. He always knew that  
he was separated from the rest of them, but Cordelia was the one who  
gave him a place in the group. She knew him as his Seer and his  
friend, she called him on his moods and didn't let him get away with   
anything. She was the humanizing influence Doyle had promised she   
would be and if she developed a psychic connection with Lorne then he  
would be the one she knew best. Angel sighed. He wasn't just jealous  
because he loved Cordelia, he was afraid. He was afraid that without  
her, he would lose everything and everybody. He couldn't lose her.  
  
When Angel returned to the group with the book Wesley had requested,  
they were all eating. Fred and Gunn had brought back a selection of  
Chinese food and tacos and they were all busy teasing Fred about her  
inability to make a decision. Lorne stood to the side holding Connor  
and feeding him a bottle. Cordelia reached over and tickled the baby  
under his chin. "You're so good with him, Lorne, you would be a really  
good father."  
  
But he was a really good father. Angel stopped before anyone noticed  
him. This was going too far and it had to stop now. He didn't care  
how neanderthal it sounded - Cordelia was his. "Hey, Fred, I just   
thought of a great idea." Angel strode forward and handed Wesley the  
book. There would be no more moping and brooding and wigging out over  
Cordelia and Lorne. "How would you like to design a website? And  
flyers, we'll need flyers. It's time to drum up some business around  
here. I'm a father now and I have a son to support." And as an added  
bonus, they busier they were, the less time there would be for bonding.  
  
to be continued.... 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Lyrics and Music of 'As Time Goes By' from the movie   
'Casablanca' are by Herman Hupfeld; © 1931 Warner Bros. Music Corp.  
  
Part Two  
  
Okay, so the plan sucked. It had endangered them all and made him look  
like an idiot, but the benefit had been worth it. Not the money - that  
was nice - the benefit was Cordelia sleeping in his bed. Angel hadn't  
planned on the three of them falling asleep together, but he wasn't  
sorry that it had happened. Connor slept peacefully between them,  
puffing out his soft baby snores, a line of milky drool dried down his  
chin. Cordelia's left hand lay splayed out under his on Connor's small  
stomach and her right was curled under her cheek. She snored softly   
too, but slower and deeper than the baby. Her lips were parted   
slightly. Angel wondered how Cordelia would feel if he woke her up   
with a kiss. What would she say if the first thing she felt after   
leaving her dream world was his tongue slipping through those parted   
lips?  
  
Who was he kidding? Angel knew exactly how Cordelia would feel, what  
she would say if he did such a thing. Fear. Angelus. Cordelia would  
wake up afraid if he kissed her. She would accuse him of being   
Angelus. He knew that Cordelia trusted him, but only to a point and  
that point was his darker side. Because of Buffy and Darla, Cordelia  
would always equate his love, passion, and lust with his demon.  
  
Angel didn't want to think about that right now. He wanted to enjoy  
having Cordelia in his bed instead of obsessing over something that  
would not be happening anytime soon. Connor squirmed under their   
hands. He was awake, his inquisitive eyes turned to his father. Angel  
couldn't see much of a resemblance between him and his son yet,   
although Cordelia claimed that if Connor had more hair and was taught   
how to brood no one would be able to tell them apart. He hoped  
Connor's eyes and hair would darken, not out of the vanity of having   
his son look like him, but because then Cordelia would look more like  
his mother and people would assume that they were a family. It would  
be just like when people assumed that he and Cordelia were a couple  
when they were out together. She would beat him to a bloody pulp if   
she knew how many dates she had lost because he hadn't set some of   
those male people straight about their relationship.  
  
"Hey," Cordelia's sleepy voice interrupted Angel's thoughts. Her eyes  
were drifting shut again. "What are you thinking about?"  
  
"I was just wondering what Connor would look like when he got older,"  
Angel answered in a hushed voice. He let Connor play with his fingers.  
  
"He's going to look like you, which is a good thing." Cordelia smiled,  
but didn't open her eyes. "Darla wasn't exactly a hag, but the blonde  
waif look doesn't work for guys."  
  
"So, you think I'm good looking?" Angel propped himself up on one   
elbow and grinned down at Cordelia.  
  
"Oh, please," Cordelia snorted. This time she fixed him with a  
patented 'no bullshit' stare. "Weren't the Buffy-panting-after-you,  
Sunnydale years enough of an ego stroke?"  
  
"I seem to remember you doing a little panting yourself." Angel   
couldn't resist reminding her. He may not have been very responsive  
back then, but Cordelia's attempts to catch his attention had not gone  
unnoticed.  
  
"I was young and clearly insane - dating Xander proves it." Cordelia  
smirked and stuck her tongue out at Angel. She snuggled closer to  
Connor and closed her eyes again. She wasn't ready to be awake yet.  
"You aren't supposed to remember that, you big doof," she mumbled into  
the pillow.  
  
A comfortable silence settled between them, the only sound was Connor  
chewing on his father's fingers. Angel lay back down and laughed.  
"What's so funny?" Cordelia opened her eyes again. He had better not  
be laughing at her.  
  
"I was just remembering that time you stayed at my apartment when the  
cockroaches had invaded yours and you got peanut butter all over the  
sheets on my bed." Angel chuckled again. He glanced over at   
Cordelia. "Doyle thought we had slept together."  
  
"You're kidding!" Cordelia's eyes widened. "What gave him that idea?  
I did not get peanut butter in your bed."  
  
"It was morning, neither of us was dressed, you got peanut butter in   
my bed because I don't eat peanut butter. I don't eat anything."  
  
"Look, Angel, I don't want to get into your no-eating peanut butter  
involved activities except to say that I did not get peanut butter in  
your bed."  
  
"I thought you had grown as a person," Angel teased. "And would be  
able to admit to your peanut butter crimes."  
  
"Yes, I grew into a part demon. So, I guess peanut butter is just part  
of my dark side. We can now refer to it as my peanut butter period."  
Cordelia smiled. It was nice to see Angel so relaxed and happy.   
Connor was so good for him. She sighed. "I should go home. Shower.  
Change."  
  
"There's plenty of hot water here and I know you keep a change of   
clothes hidden somewhere."  
  
"That's so you won't give them away." Cordelia kissed the top of   
Connor's head. "I guess I might as well stay."  
  
"Might as well."  
  
"We should get up now."  
  
"Mmm-hmm."  
  
Neither of them moved.  
  
*****  
  
This was why he was more comfortable reading complex emotions rather  
than feeling them. Lorne wasn't prone to moods like the big guy, but  
he did sometimes feel the need to be alone so he had sought out this  
place a few days after he had relocated to the hotel. The Hyperion  
ball room. Its glitz and glamour had tarnished and faded, but it was  
still a grand place even if it was horribly dusty. The main floor was  
cluttered with sheet covered furniture from the hotel's many rooms and  
in a far corner Lorne had found a treasure. A Baby Grand piano. Now  
he sat in from of the beauty and idly tickled the ivories until a  
melody caught a hold of his fingers.  
  
"You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss. A sigh is just a  
sigh. The fundamental things apply, as time goes by." The song was  
perfect. As with most music, it enveloped him in a cocoon of sound  
and feeling, but when he sang there were no answers. He couldn't read  
himself even if his abilities were in full working order, but the music  
was still soothing. "And when two lovers woo, they still say 'I love  
you' on that you can rely. No matter what the future brings, as time  
goes by."  
  
The tune picked up at this point and Lorne's mood lifted a little with  
it. "Moonlight and love songs, never out of date. Hearts full of  
passion, jealousy and hate. Woman needs man and man must have his  
mate. That no one can deny." Back into the melancholy groove. "Well,  
it's the same old story, a fight for love and glory. A case of do or  
die. The world will always welcome lovers, as time goes by." The  
final flourish of notes clung to the room and then melted from   
existence like a morning fog in the sun. Ah, Casablanca, the   
epitome of anguished love triangles. Although, he had always fancied  
himself more in the Claude Raines role. Beginning of a beautiful   
friendship and whatnot.  
  
That was the crux of the problem - friendship. Lorne had always known  
that he didn't belong in Pylea and when he had come to Los Angeles, he  
had carved out his own comfortable niche among the misfits, but it   
still hadn't really been enough. With Angel and his crew he had   
finally found a home and a family. His feelings for Cordelia   
threatened to Yoko the whole thing.  
  
She had spent the night at the hotel with Angel - there had been no  
hanky-panky of course or else evilness would have abounded by now.  
Lorne could feel her presence. It was a neon sign blazing 'Cordelia's  
here' over every other thought in his head. Humans believed in love   
at first sight, but Lorne didn't need sight. Cordelia probably didn't  
realize that she had revealed more of herself to him than she had   
intended when she had zapped him with her essence. He had felt the  
love she had for her friends, the compassion for the people in her  
visions, her pain and resentment toward her parents, her loneliness, her  
jealousy of the Slayer and her friends, her hatred for Wolfram and   
Hart. He had gotten it all in that moment. If he had thought he was  
falling for Cordelia before, that clinched it. She truly did have a  
beautiful soul. The problem for Lorne was that it was consumed by her  
love for Angel and Connor. She might not have acknowledged her  
feelings for the vamp and his son yet, but her soul had accepted them  
long ago.  
  
The upside of being hogtied by Nahdrah demons about to decapitate one  
of your dearest friend's head is that you consider life and what's   
important. Lorne couldn't marry Cordelia. He couldn't be her   
Bhion-Tuk mate because he wasn't sure he would be able to let her go  
when the time came and a Bhion-Tuk could only be dissolved by both   
parties. He wouldn't be Paul Henreid's Victor Laszlo and take Ingrid  
Bergman from Humphrey Bogart. He was Claude Raines, dammit - the  
friend - and he was also a lot bit drunk. He didn't know how Angel  
survived his bouts of moodiness, it was hell.  
  
There was no time like the present though. He had to tell Cordelia  
thanks, but no thanks and then go pack his bags for the trip back to  
Pylea. Lorne gave the keys one last dance before getting to his feet.  
He was weaving his way through the furniture ghosts when it hit him -  
the Mack truck of PTB messages - and he passed out.  
  
*****  
  
It was the perfect day. Angel hummed as he stood in line at the ticket  
office. He and Cordelia had finally dragged themselves out of bed in  
the late afternoon when Connor had made it known that it was time to   
eat. They had researched a few demons, played with Connor, hung out   
with Fred, Gunn, and Wesley, and best of all Lorne had made himself  
scarce for all of it. In fact, Angel hadn't see him all day. He was  
wondering if he should be worried about that when he saw the poster.  
Blinnikov World Ballet Corps. Excellent, Cordelia would love it.   
Gunn was right, they did need a break from the demon hunting and an   
elegant night at the ballet was just the thing. Angel stepped up to  
the counter. "Five tickets for Giselle, please." Lorne could babysit.  
  
Angel was actually whistling when he returned to the Hyperion. He was  
going to escort Cordelia to the ballet. He was going to share with her  
a good part of his extensive past. Nothing could ruin his good mood.  
"Hey, Angel." Lorne stopped him before he entered the hotel.  
  
"Hi, Lorne. Where have you been all day?" Hopefully he hadn't been  
out making Bhion-Tuk arrangements.  
  
"Got a special delivery package from the PTB. It packed quite a   
wallop and I was down for the count for a bit." Lorne was relieved to  
see some concern in Angel's eyes. Their friendship should get back on  
track once this mess was behind them and there was another on to   
concentrate on. Sure, he would pine for unrequited love, but there was  
some consolation in the fact that it was never meant to be. When you  
worked for the Powers you learned that some things were inevitable and  
couldn't be changed no matter how many visions you had. Cordelia and  
Angel were inevitable. "My abilities are back in top form. The Powers  
gave me permanent residency in this dimension."  
  
"Why?" As much as the news made him happy, it also made Angel uneasy.  
The Powers didn't give you something for nothing.  
  
"I don't know, but it can't be good."  
  
"Then we'll deal with it when it happens." Angel nodded at Lorne.   
"Have you told Cordy?"  
  
"Yes, she was terribly disappointed until I told her she could keep the  
ring." Lorne wasn't quite sure how to bring up Angel's feelings for  
his ex-fiancé to him. Usually he just blurted this stuff out, but he  
doubted that their friendship was on that plane yet. "I'm sorry about  
all of this, Angel, I never meant to come between you and...."  
  
"Cordelia and I are just friends," Angel interrupted. He continued on  
his way to the hotel, his step lighter. "Hey, would you mind   
babysitting tomorrow night?"  
  
"You know me, I live to babysit the tyke." Lorne let Angel go into the  
hotel alone. He would let him duck the talk right now, but they would  
talk. Angel needed to know that kye-rumption could not be ignored and  
it was time to make his move before it all went to hell.  
  
*****  
  
Skin. Warm, soft, smelled like baby powder and tasted salty with  
sweat. Smooth in places, rough in others. Curves, dips, ticklish  
spots. Gaspy moans, whispered pleas. Blunted teeth nibbling, tongue   
in his ear. A sharp voice, "Not you, dumbass, him! I love him." All  
these things followed Angel as he ran up the stairs. The Groosalug was  
back and Cordelia loved him.  
  
Connor was sleeping as Lorne said he would be. Angel tucked in his  
blanket a little more securely before moving back to his bed. He   
slowly lowered himself to the floor and rested his head back against  
the side of the bed. Was it only an hour ago that he had Cordelia down  
on that couch caressing and exploring her body with his hands and   
tongue. She had kissed him. She had touched him. It hadn't just been  
an echo of long ago lovers. His actions and feelings hadn't all been  
Stephan's. Was it possible that it hadn't all been the ballerina?  
That the moans and pleas and words of love could have come from a part  
of Cordelia as well?  
  
"Angel?" Cordelia stood in the doorway. She was still in her evening  
dress, the one that had slipped so easily off her shoulders and down  
her hips. She came into the room and crouched down beside him. "Groo  
and I are going to be leaving soon." She held out the diamond   
engagement ring Lorne had given her. "I thought maybe we could sell   
this and add the money to the college fund."  
  
"If that's what you want." Angel took the ring. "I'll put it in the  
safe for now." He had been so close to telling her how he felt. So  
close to knowing if she returned his feelings.   
  
Cordelia straightened and stepped over to Connor's bassinet. "You  
were telling me something when we came home, before I saw Groo." She  
smiled. "Do you want to tell me now?"  
  
That was a loaded question. Angel looked at Cordelia. Yes, he wanted  
to tell her - Pyleans be damned! "Yes, Cordelia, I...." She was  
happy. For a moment, Angel saw another face - Buffy's - and all the  
pain and torment reflected in her eyes. Loving him wasn't happy. "I  
just wanted to tell you that the best decision I ever made was to hand  
you that box the day you proposed working for me for a flat fee."  
  
"You know it, buster." Cordelia reached down and squeezed his hand  
before leaving him in the darkness of his room. She had sacrificed her  
humanity for him. The least he could do was sacrifice his heart.  
  
The End 


End file.
